North American NAVION accident near Elbe, Washington, March 16, 1992
On March 16, 1992 at about 2:38 am local time, a North American NAVION, registered N4021K, was destroyed in an accident near Elbe, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL STARVATION, IMPROPER FUEL, IMPROPER AIRCRAFT SERVICING (FUELING), AND CLEARANCE NOT POSSIBLE. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: NO SUITABLE TERRAIN, LOW CEILINGS, DUSK AND TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1992 · about 2:38 am local time
- Place
- Elbe, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- North American NAVION · all NAVIONs on the register
- Registration
- N4021K · registry record · serial NAV-4-1021
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER COMMENCING A DESCENT, AND SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER SWITCHING FROM THE 'AUX' TO 'MAIN' FUEL TANKS, THE FUEL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO AND THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO ACCOMPLISH A RESTART AND EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING. UPON BREAKING OUT OF A 500 FOOT OVERCAST DURING DUSK CONDITIONS AND OVER AN OCCUPIED ROAD AND WOODED TERRAIN, THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT AWAY FROM THE ROAD TOWARDS THE ONLY SUITABLE LANDING AREA AVAILABLE. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING THIS MANEUVER. POST CRASH EXAMINATION BY THE FAA REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE PILOT REPORTED DEPARTING MOSES LAKE, WASHINGTON, WITH 20 GALLONS OF 80/87 OCTANE FUEL IN THE 'AUX' FUEL TANK AND A 50/50 MIX OF 100 LOW LEAD AND AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE IN THE 'MAIN' TANK. RESEARCH INTO THE ISSUANCE OF AN STC FOR AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE IN THE NAVION WAS NOT PURSED DUE TO A FINDING OF 'SEVERE VAPOR LOCK' DURING ITS USE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,749 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2,525 as pilot in command; 85 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 1991; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225-4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MWH Moses Lake WA at 1:00 am
- Destination: OLY Olympia WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from TCM, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.